Chapter 136
Chapter 136
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 136
Chapter Title: Unexpected Gift (3)
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‘To think Emperor Rodius I would name Cecilia as his successor.’
It would be a lie to say he hadn’t expected it at all.
But truthfully, until he’d met Rodius I, this development had been beyond imagination.
‘Though it makes perfect sense, logically speaking.’
His son was a wastrel.
His grandsons were wastrels too.
Even if she was born out of wedlock.
Among the imperial family of the Rokto Empire, the only one with the talent to lead the empire and the throne was.
‘Cecilia alone.’
Moreover, Crown Prince Rodius II—whether Mio or Gou—was Cecilia’s biological father.
So even if Cecilia ascended to the throne.
‘There’d be no need to kill Rodius II.’
From Rodius I’s perspective, this was the optimal choice.
“For now, I plan to formally register Cecilia in the imperial registry.”
Cecilia’s official status at present was merely that of a baron’s daughter.
To make her crown princess, she first needed imperial blood.
“But why tell me this?”
Shouldn’t this be a conversation for the person in question, Cecilia?
“You’re her greatest patron, aren’t you? You wouldn’t have supported her for free, so you must have secured commensurate compensation. I want you to renounce it cleanly.”
At Rodius I’s words, Kang Hyun-soo’s eyebrow twitched.
“What exactly do you mean by renounce?”
“It means abandon your ambition to manipulate the Rokto Empire through Cecilia as you please.”
Kang Hyun-soo’s eyes narrowed at Rodius I’s words.
“In exchange, I’ll repay three times what you invested in her. A handsome profit for you, no?”
Hearing Rodius I’s offer, Kang Hyun-soo snorted inwardly.
He could say such things only because he didn’t know the full truth.
“You probably used something like a soul contract or oath of conviction. Those can be voided if both parties agree.”
“What if I refuse?”
“Then Cecilia won’t become crown princess. The emperor of the Great Rokto Empire can’t be someone else’s puppet, after all.”
“Better for the empire to fall than that?”
Kang Hyun-soo’s words grew curt.
“Precisely.”
But Rodius I didn’t mind.
Instead, he pressed Kang Hyun-soo with eyes blazing fiercely.
A long silence followed.
“Very well. So be it. But on one condition.”
“What is it?”
“Not three times my investment—ten times. And draft a will naming Cecilia as the next emperor, and hand it to me.”
Rodius I’s eyes gleamed with intense satisfaction at Kang Hyun-soo’s demand.
“Excellent. So it shall be. Wait a moment.”
Squeeze!
When Rodius I pressed the necklace around his neck.
The imperial guards appeared.
“Bring Cecilia here at once.”
“Yes, Your Majesty.”
Having given the order, Rodius I immediately produced a single sheet of paper.
‘Oath of Immortality.’
An EX-Rank item impervious to damage, forgery, or alteration.
‘Someone once tried using that as a shield. Madman.’
Naturally, it failed.
Impervious to damage, forgery, or alteration.
But it could be utterly destroyed.
Rodius I swiftly wrote upon it.
The content was simple.
It deposed Crown Prince Rodius II and named Crown Princess Cecilia as the next emperor. That was all.
Finishing the document, Rodius I added his personal signature and the imperial seal.
And shortly after.
Cecilia appeared, escorted by the imperial guards.
“Now it’s your turn to uphold the agreement.”
“I hereby void the soul contract between you and me. Do you consent?”
At Kang Hyun-soo’s words.
“I consent.”
Cecilia nodded and replied.
[The contracting parties sincerely wish to terminate.]
[The soul contract is voided.]
A system message appeared.
Whoosh!
A bright glow emanated from Kang Hyun-soo and Cecilia’s bodies, then vanished completely.
“Here you are. As for the investment amount...”
“What I want is...”
Soon, they concluded negotiations on repaying the investment tenfold.
“Collect it from the imperial treasury. Duke Rojas will guide you.”
“Understood.”
Kang Hyun-soo took the Oath of Immortality and turned to leave.
* * *
The Dark Knight’s leader had departed without resistance.
‘It worked.’
A radiant smile spread across Rodius I’s face.
The soul contract that shackled the next emperor was gone.
The plan had succeeded.
‘I thought it would be tougher.’
Truth be told, the biggest reason Rodius I had decided to name Cecilia as successor.
Wasn’t just the lack of alternatives.
‘It was because of the Dark Knights’ backing.’
A secret organization with skills to foresee the future.
A secret organization with military might rivaling a nation.
A secret organization led by a transcendent powerhouse bearing a divine title.
The Dark Knights’ strength, revealed in the recent Doppelganger Legion subjugation, far exceeded Rodius I’s expectations.
Such a mighty secret group.
‘Chose Cecilia.’
In simple terms, Cecilia was the sole means to avert the Rokto Empire’s doom.
Had he left things alone?
‘After my death, they’d have sparked a war for the throne and installed Cecilia as emperor.’
Entirely plausible.
Cecilia already led the neutral faction, one of the Rokto Empire’s three great powers.
With the Dark Knights’ solid support.
But in that case.
‘The next emperor would be the Dark Knights’ puppet.’
So he had reshuffled the board entirely.
If Cecilia was to claim the throne through bloody civil war anyway.
‘Better I hand it to her myself.’
That way, he could preserve the empire’s strength lost to infighting.
‘And curb the Dark Knights’ influence.’
The real loser here was the Dark Knights themselves.
Even repaying the investment tenfold.
From the perspective of someone who could have devoured the colossal prize that was the Rokto Empire whole?
‘It’s a paltry compensation.’
Moreover, the Dark Knights.
‘Believed they could place Cecilia on the throne without my help.’
But fortunately, their leader accepted Rodius I’s proposal—securing Cecilia’s position as successor via a will—in exchange for fair recompense.
‘Proof their convictions remain untainted.’
Their goal was victory in the war against the Demon King’s army.
This deal was a loss for the Dark Knights as an organization.
‘But a massive gain for humanity as a whole.’
That was why they accepted so readily.
‘I’ll reward them accordingly.’
Rodius I had no intention of wiping his mouth clean after tenfold repayment.
On behalf of the Rokto Empire, he planned to greatly elevate their prestige and honor.
‘The stronger groups like the Dark Knights become, the better for safeguarding Atlantis.’
How many righteous organizations prioritize humanity’s welfare over their own interests?
“Cecilia, I have great expectations for you, my child.”
Rodius I smiled as he spoke to Cecilia.
“I am deeply honored.”
Cecilia knelt gracefully, bowing her head with a smiling face.
But.
In the shadows veiling her eyes.
Lurked icy coldness and venomous malice.
Cecilia wanted nothing more than to storm out right then.
‘Never cared about me until now, and now he calls himself my grandfather?’
This was the first time Rodius I and Cecilia had met.
Since her birth.
Rodius I had entrusted Cecilia to Baron Breven, head of the Shadow Guard.
And.
Never once shown her attention or concern.
He’d merely.
‘Hoped the imperial disgrace that I am would just die.’
Checking her survival now and then, at most.
‘And now he names me successor? For the sake of the Rokto Empire and the crown prince?’
Cecilia’s greatest hatred was for her father, Crown Prince Rodius II.
But no less.
Did she loathe her grandfather, Rodius I.
‘I hate you too.’
‘If not for my lord’s orders.’
She never would have put on this charade.
Rationally, Cecilia knew she should present herself as an exemplary successor to Rodius I.
But emotionally, the mere sight of Emperor Rodius I or Crown Prince Rodius II filled her with revulsion.
Hearing their voices alone tore her heart to shreds in agony.
Deep down, she.
‘Wanted to bolt from this place.’
But she couldn’t.
‘These are my lord’s orders.’
Kang Hyun-soo saw this as a golden opportunity.
And Cecilia felt the same.
She wasn’t some childish fool who’d botch things by losing control of her emotions.
‘Just wait it out.’
Rodius I wouldn’t last much longer.
As for Rodius II.
‘Being stripped of his crown prince title will be shock enough.’
But she wasn’t satisfied with that.
Once she inherited the throne from Rodius I and became Rokto Empire’s emperor.
‘I’ll make him die in the most miserable way.’
Rodius I seemed to think she wouldn’t harm her father, Rodius II.
But Cecilia harbored not a gram of such sentiment.
“I have one request of you.”
“Please command me.”
“Not a command—a request.”
“What might it be?”
At Cecilia’s question.
“Hoo!”
Rodius I steadied his breath for a moment.
“It won’t be easy, but forgive your father. These words come not from emperor to crown princess, but from grandfather to granddaughter—a personal plea.”
Cecilia’s expression hardened instantly at Rodius I’s words.
“I know what kind of man your father is. How could I not, as his own father? But never forget: because of him, you exist as you are today.”
Cecilia clenched her fist until her nails dug into her flesh.
But her face didn’t stiffen as before.
“It may be impossible now, but I will strive to do so.”
“Yes, I suppose so. You’ve never met, so there’s no bond—only rage. Yet the tie between parent and child is heaven’s law. No human power can sever it. It’s no easy task, but your promise to try fills me with gratitude.”
Rodius I smiled and patted Cecilia’s shoulder.
“Never forget: your father’s existence ties to your own legitimacy.”
He called it a grandfather’s request to his granddaughter.
But it was also an imperial decree.
And a threat.
“I will keep it in mind.”
Cecilia bowed her head politely once more, smiling.
* * *
‘That went smoother than expected.’
He’d come expecting a small gift package.
And received the colossal prize of the Rokto Empire.
‘A soul contract? We don’t need that anymore.’
Cecilia was already Kang Hyun-soo’s subordinate commander and summon.
Soul contract?
He could void it a hundred or a thousand times over; it didn’t matter.
‘Not that Rodius I would know.’
That ignorance made things easy.
Had Rodius I known of Kang Hyun-soo’s class, One-Man Legion?
‘He never would’ve made Cecilia successor so readily.’
He might have even turned hostile.
Even if forced to choose her for lack of options.
‘He’d have piled restrictions on me.’
But since he fixated only on items like soul contracts or oaths of conviction.
‘Things fell into place perfectly.’
On top of that, Rodius I had generously offered tenfold repayment.
As a result, Kang Hyun-soo now had access to.
“After you.”
One of Atlantis’s greatest treasure vaults.
The Rokto Empire’s imperial treasury.